Almost €22 million has been raised by Aer Lingus guests and staff for UNICEF Ireland, with the airline and charity celebrating 22 years of partnership. The money has been raised through Change for Good onboard collections, which see unwanted foreign notes and coins on all long-haul Aer Lingus flights going to support UNICEF’s global mission to help children in over 190 of the world’s poorest countries and territories.
Through Change for Good collections almost €1 million was raised in 2018 alone. Through the year, four special collections took place raising money for humanitarian emergency appeals for Rohingya refugees, India, and the crises in Yemen and Syria.
As part of the ongoing partnership, Aer Lingus cabin crew also volunteer time on some of UNICEF’s vital global trips. Earlier this year a number of Aer Lingus cabin crew and UNICEF Change for Good ambassadors visited Sierra Leone and in March 2018 four ambassadors travelled to India to see UNICEF programmes in action.
UNICEF Ambassador and Aer Lingus cabin crew member Nuala Byrne said: “We’re extremely proud of our work with UNICEF and on behalf of Aer Lingus cabin crew and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors, I would like to thank every single Aer Lingus guest who has donated onboard. Throughout the world, money raised through Change for Good is helping to make lasting change to the lives of the world’s poorest children, so we’d encourage guests travelling with us throughout 2019 to continue with their generosity. Even a small donation can make a difference. We know that €5 can provide up to 500 litres of clean water, 12 packets of high energy peanut paste in cases of severe acute malnutrition, 10 notebooks and pencils for schooling, and finally up to 29 polio vaccines for children at risk of contracting polio.”
Executive Director of UNICEF Ireland Peter Power said: “We’re grateful to Aer Lingus passengers, cabin crew and staff for their continued support, which is vital to UNICEF’s global mission for children in over 190 of the world’s poorest countries and territories. To date Change for Good donations have helped many thousands of children to survive difficult circumstances and to thrive and reach a better future.”
UNICEF Ireland is an official charity partner of Aer Lingus.
